# Address book overview

The Ripple Custody (Wallet) address book provides a place to securely store external counterparty and address information.

The address book acts as another layer of security for your digital assets by ensuring that only legitimate and authorized addresses can receive assets from your wallets.

## Address book actions

| Action | Console role | Console procedure | API procedure |
|  --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Create a counterparty | Owner, Administrator | [Create a counterparty](/products/wallet/governance-and-controls/address-book/manage-address-book#create-a-counterparty-via-the-console) | [Create a counterparty](/products/wallet/governance-and-controls/address-book/manage-address-book-api#create-a-counterparty-via-the-api) |
| List and get counterparties | All except Viewer | [List and get counterparties](/products/wallet/governance-and-controls/address-book/manage-address-book#list-and-get-counterparties-via-the-console) | [List and get counterparties](/products/wallet/governance-and-controls/address-book/manage-address-book-api#list-and-get-counterparties-via-the-api) |
| Update a counterparty | - | - | [Update a counterparty](/products/wallet/governance-and-controls/address-book/manage-address-book-api#update-a-counterparty-via-the-api) |
| Add an address | Owner, Administrator | [Add an address](/products/wallet/governance-and-controls/address-book/manage-address-book#add-an-address-via-the-console) | [Add an address to a counterparty](/products/wallet/governance-and-controls/address-book/manage-address-book-api#add-an-address-to-a-counterparty-via-the-api) |
| List addresses | All except Viewer | [List addresses](/products/wallet/governance-and-controls/address-book/manage-address-book#list-addresses-via-the-console) | [List addresses](/products/wallet/governance-and-controls/address-book/manage-address-book-api#list-addresses-via-the-api) |
| Delete an address | Owner, Administrator | [Delete a counterparty or address](/products/wallet/governance-and-controls/address-book/manage-address-book#delete-a-counterparty-or-address-via-the-console) | [Get or delete an address](/products/wallet/governance-and-controls/address-book/manage-address-book-api#get-or-delete-an-address-via-the-api) |
| Delete a counterparty | Owner, Administrator | [Delete a counterparty or address](/products/wallet/governance-and-controls/address-book/manage-address-book#delete-a-counterparty-or-address-via-the-console) | [Delete a counterparty](/products/wallet/governance-and-controls/address-book/manage-address-book-api#delete-a-counterparty-via-the-api) |
| Require approval for new addresses | Owner, Administrator | [Require approval for new entries](/products/wallet/governance-and-controls/address-book/manage-address-book#require-approval-for-new-entries-via-the-console) | - |


For all console procedures, see [Manage address book via the console](/products/wallet/governance-and-controls/address-book/manage-address-book). For all API procedures, see [Manage the address book via the API](/products/wallet/governance-and-controls/address-book/manage-address-book-api).

## What is a counterparty?

A counterparty is an external party involved in a transaction.

There are 3 types of counterparty:

- **Decentralized Application (dApp)**: A dApp operates on a blockchain network through smart contracts.
- **Individual**: A single person (e.g., a friend).
- **Organization**: A company or entity (e.g., a merchant, exchange, or other business).


## What is an address?

This is a unique digital address that is used to identify an on-chain wallet.

It is similar to an account number that identifies other parties in traditional banking transactions, but instead it exists on the blockchain network.

For example, an address may look like this: 0x55502b9d5a68b0F8a48384352295BeD968aD8AA4.

Important
A counterparty can have multiple blockchain addresses. Be careful that you are transacting with the correct address.

For the XRP Ledger, the r-address and an optional destination tag together identify an address. You can distinguish two counterparties that share the same r-address by their destination tags. See [Manage address book via the console](/products/wallet/governance-and-controls/address-book/manage-address-book#xrp-ledger-destination-tags) for details.

## Benefits of address book

1. **Global by default**
Address book entries are global by default, meaning they can be linked to any wallet across the platform via its policies. This feature increases efficiency by removing the need to create separate address books for each wallet.
2. **Enables counterparty record keeping and management**
The address book enables users to clearly and easily keep track of all counterparties and corresponding addresses in a single location.
3. **Ensures regulatory compliance**
The address book ensures users are compliant with the [EU’s Transfer of Funds regulations](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/EN/legal-content/summary/information-accompanying-transfers-of-funds-and-certain-crypto-assets.html?fromSummary=14). These regulations, which came into effect on 30 December 2024, require custodians and wallet providers to provide and check for ‘travel rule data’, or counterparty information, for inbound and outbound transactions.


Regulatory compliance
EU regulation dictates that you must ensure counterparty information is accurate and true when making transactions. The Address book provides a method to accurately record and store this information.